Monday, December 11, 2006

It's Beginning to Look a Lot (Less) Like Christmas

Dec. 10, 2006 - There is a damper on Christmas cheer at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport: A rabbi's complaint led to the removal over the weekend of synthetic Christmas trees that have decorated the entrances every holiday season for the last 25 years.

The man behind their disappearance, Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky, told a Seattle newspaper he's "appalled" that the airport officials removed the trees. His goal was not to clear out Christmas, but rather to add a celebration of Hanukah. He asked the port of Seattle, which runs the airport, to build an eight-foot menorah and hold a lighting ceremony.

"Everyone should have their spirit of the holiday," he told the Seattle Times. "For many people, the trees are the spirit of the holidays, and adding a menorah adds light to the season."

Port officials apparently found it easier to remove the 15 Christmas trees.

Seriously, what did Rabbi Bogomilsky expect? The country is being run by whiny, snotty-nosed little children who are scared of their own shadows. No one wants to offend anyone else, so whenever a concern is raised, the first reaction is to just eliminate the source of the controversy.

Naturally, that kind of overreaction ends up generating even more controversy than there was in the first place, and every year we get to read ridiculous news stories like this. But no one ever seems to learn.

Wouldn't it be nice if people actually started acting like adults? Now that would be the best Hanuramakwanzmas ever!

Christmas trees are going back up at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Pat Davis, president of the Port of Seattle commission, which directs airport operations, said late Monday that maintenance staff would restore the 14 plastic holiday trees, festooned with red ribbons and bows, that were removed over the weekend because of a rabbi's complaint that holiday decor did not include a menorah.

Airport managers believed that if they allowed the addition of an 8-foot-tall menorah to the display, as Seattle Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky had requested, they would also have to display symbols of other religions and cultures, which was not something airport workers had time for during the busiest travel season of the year, Airport Director Mark Reis said earlier Monday.

Port officials received word Monday afternoon that Bogomilsky's organization would not file a lawsuit at this time over the placement of a menorah, Davis said in a statement.

"Given that, the holiday trees will be replaced as quickly as possible," he said.

Not exactly Miracle on 34th Street material, but a little encouraging nonetheless.

3 comments:

I get most annoyed, though, by the people who complain about such things in the first place. I have a vision of those SEATAC officials reacting like frustrated parents: "Look, if you're going to whine, you're getting nothing at all! How do you like that? Do I have to turn this airplane around and send you back home RIGHT NOW???"